By Francis Sadhere, Warri
The camp of Chief Sheriff Mulade has strongly condemned the circulation of a purported statement on social media claiming that the Warri Federal Constituency aspirant stepped down from the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) primary election and endorsed another contender, describing the publication as fake, fraudulent and the handiwork of desperate political opponents.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Tuesday by the Director of Media and Publicity of Team Sheriff Mulade Campaign Organization, Comrade Friday Ugedi, the campaign dismissed the viral publication as a calculated attempt to mislead party members and undermine what it described as Mulade’s overwhelming victory at the primary election.
The campaign maintained that Chief Mulade neither conceded defeat nor endorsed any other aspirant, insisting that he remains the duly elected winner of the NDC primary election for the Warri Federal Constituency.
According to the statement, those behind the alleged fake publication are “political merchants of falsehood” who have resorted to misinformation and propaganda after suffering what it described as a crushing defeat at the polls.
“We wish to state categorically, unequivocally and without any ambiguity that the said statement is fake, fraudulent, concocted and the handiwork of desperate, bad-faith individuals who have been rattled by the overwhelming, massive and landslide victory recorded by Chief Sheriff Mulade during the primary election,” the statement read.
The campaign accused unnamed opponents of attempting to create confusion within the party and manipulate public opinion by fabricating a concession statement purportedly issued by Mulade.
It argued that the misinformation campaign was driven by individuals who were unable to accept the outcome of the primary election and were now seeking alternative means to challenge the mandate freely given to Mulade by delegates.
The statement further asserted that Chief Mulade continues to enjoy widespread support among party faithful, youths, women and stakeholders across Warri North, Warri South and Warri South-West Local Government Areas, a development it claimed has unsettled rival political interests.
“It is unfortunate that instead of accepting the reality of the outcome of the primary election, certain disgruntled elements have resorted to forgery, propaganda and the dissemination of fake statements in a futile attempt to overturn the will of the people,” the campaign stated.
The organization called on members of the public, NDC supporters and media practitioners to disregard the alleged fake statement, stressing that it did not emanate from Chief Mulade or any authorized member of his campaign team.
Reaffirming confidence in the outcome of the primary election, the campaign declared that no amount of blackmail, forgery, misinformation or political intimidation would invalidate the mandate secured by its candidate.
“Chief Sheriff Mulade remains committed to the ideals of democracy, transparency and justice, and is confident that the authentic results of the primary election will stand the test of scrutiny.
“No amount of blackmail, misinformation, forgery or political desperation can overturn the mandate freely given to Chief Sheriff Mulade by delegates of the Warri Federal Constituency. The victory remains intact, the mandate remains valid, and the aspiration remains on course,” the statement added.
The latest development comes amid growing political tension following the NDC primary election for the Warri Federal Constituency, with supporters of Chief Mulade insisting that the outcome of the exercise reflects the wishes of delegates and should be respected by all parties involved.
